Sign-On to the Congressional Appeal to:
Fund Our Communities -- Reduce Military Spending
Fund Our Communities -- Reduce Military Spending
Please sign-on to the following statement; it will be hand delivered with supporting materials to your two Senators and one member of the House of Representative in the summer of 2010. Thank you, The Peace Economy Project
Dear (We will enter your congresspersons’ names here),
As you examine our federal budget and look for ways to fund vital programs that support social, infrastructure and environmental needs as well as address our growing debt, I urge you to look first, not last, at superfluous military spending as a place to make cuts in our federal spending.
We, the undersigned, ask you to stand up against the continued growth of military spending and call for a 25% reduction in military spending.
We can achieve this savings by defunding plans for new nuclear weapons components and unproved fighter planes, while eliminating some of the hundreds of military facilities in Japan, Germany, and South Korea. This goal could also by approached by withdrawing occupying forces from Iraq and Afghanistan, and also by reducing waste in weapons procurement and operations.
All the above would free up approximately $175 billion in one year alone--a significant sum of money for ensuring that our communities have the funds we need to thrive today and tomorrow.
Signed,
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Please make a donation to help send the PEP Director and interns to our nation's capitol where they will personally present your name, this statement, and supplemental information to the office of each of your congressional representatives.
3 Steps to a Peace Economy
by Andy Heaslet, PEP Coordinator
Adapted from a presentation to attendees of the Memorial of the 64th anniversary of the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in Columbia, MO on August 8th, 2009.
I’ve said it many time, instead of a War Economy, we should shift towards a Peace Economy.
What does that mean, though? And how do we get there?
A Peace Economy, well, a Peace Economy wouldn’t make profit off of making instruments of war. Wouldn’t profit off of inciting and supporting international arms races. Wouldn’t profit off of fear-mongering and hate.
In a sentence, a Peace Economy would place the needs and priorities of the people ahead of the needs of war profiteers. More...
About PEACE ECONOMY PROJECT
The Peace Economy Project is a 501(c)3 non profit organization that researches military spending, educates about the hazards of an unchecked military-industrial complex and advocates for conversion from a military to a more stable peace-based economy. We focus our attention on local weapons manufacturing and its connection to global militarization. We collaborate with other organizations to raise consciousness of where our tax dollars are invested and to encourage others to reinvest in their communities.
*To read about current PEP events, news and Boeing news,
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Priority Projects
These are among PEP's top research interests.
More details about these projects are found on our Priorities webpage
Boeing Awareness
The St. Louis hosts the weapons divisions of this major military contractor, responsible for a variety of missiles and fighter planes. Boeing is involved in jet, space, missile, and bomb manufacture and sales. The Peace Economy Project tracks the activities and contracts of this company and seeks to show the connections between its activities and world events. While several groups track the arms trade, only the Peace Economy Project focuses on Boeing.
Instead of War
PEP is part of the St. Louis Instead Of War Coalition. Over twelve organizations participate in this collaboration, which advocates for nonviolent alternatives to war. The coalition connects the questions of war in Iraq with both domestic and local consequences through organizing rallies and nonviolent direct actions.
Other Research Topics
These are topics on which PEP has done work in the past but to which, due to limited resources, we devotes less time. These include: Analysis of Military Budget * The Arms Trade around the World * * Nuclear Weapons * Landmines * South and Central American issues * The Environment * Weapons in Space * Other St Louis Area Defense Contractors
Use the menu to the left to explore PEP's site.
PEP Is a Proud Member of
JUSTICE AND PEACE SHARES
Collaborative Funding Organization
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